Naugy Junior Legion Looking for State Title

The only thing that’s been hotter than the weather for most of this summer has been the Naugatuck American Legion Post 17 junior baseball team. 

The team, which consists of teens 17 and under, has amassed an impressive 20-2 record under coaches Matt D’Agnone and Zac Dreher. The team has clinched the Zone 5 title and is set to play for a state championship beginning next week. 

Pitchers Spencer Dreher, who is 6-0 with five complete games, and Ethan Mester, who is 5-0 with an emaciated ERA of 1.17, have led the team with solid performances all season. Keith Daisey, Evan Pellicccia and Kyle Plasky have all pitched well for Naugatuck this year as well.

“Our pitching has been fantastic all year, and our hitting started to come around at the right time late in the year,” said D’Agnone, the assistant coach. “This has been an entire team effort all season.”

Jason Bradley has led the team at the plate with a .439 batting average and 25 hits. Pelliccia has 24 hits and a .414 average, while Dreher is batting .388. Mester and Kevin Mariano have also hit the ball well this year, D’Agnone said.

Kyle Plasky said the team’s goal is to win a state championship.

“We’ve got to keep this going,” he said.

Naugatuck, which is on a 12 game winning streak, will start playing for a state championship starting Monday at 4 p.m. at Rotary Field in Naugatuck against an opponent yet to be determined.

Bradley said the keys to success will be to keep making outs and supporting pitchers.

“As long as we do that, we’ll keep having fun,” he said. “It’s always fun when you win.”